Evaluation Of The Corrections Officers At The Allen County...

The ability to apply acquired knowledge in a situation outside the typical educational structure often results in exceptional learning. The experience of working with the corrections officers at the Allen County Juvenile Detention Center helped me to think critically about the application of justice. There is much that can be said specifically about the correction officers and some of their attitudes and actions. They do contribute to the atmosphere, however, changing other aspects such as the rules or the actual building has been my focus. Throughout this reflection, I will cover a typical work day with some commentary on the procedures and the environment intermixed. Working at relatively the same time each day caused a rather repetitious experience and there were only minor changes day to day. I will conclude with some notes about how justice â€Å"looks† at the JDC along with some suggestions. There are two pairs of corrections officers on duty at least from three until eleven at night. The pairs are always one male, one female. I believe this is because of dealing with gender specific situations like showers. There are often other people who worked specifically with the treatment wing during my time. The detention center has one wing for those who need to serve time for an offence and one wing for those receiving treatment for their health. The juveniles that committed a crime are serving a certain amount of time and then they get released. The other group, receivesShow MoreRelatedPrivatization of Prisons1329 Words   |  6 Pages This research project will explore the cost benefits to the privatization of California’s prison system, in comparison to other cost saving options. It will use statistics from other states that use private prison systems, as well as federal detention facilities that are privately managed. The purpose of this analysis is to reduce spe nding as a whole, and to not place a financial burden on local governments. It is also important to note that prison sentences are not only a form of punishmentRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesLocus of Control Scale 52 Tolerance of Ambiguity Scale 54 Core Self-Evaluation Scale (CSES) 56 SKILL LEARNING 57 Key Dimensions of Self-Awareness 57 The Enigma of Self-Awareness 58 The Sensitive Line 58 Understanding and Appreciating Individual Differences Important Areas of Self-Awareness 61 Emotional Intelligence 62 Values 65 Ethical Decision Making and Values 72 Cognitive Style 74 Attitudes Toward Change 76 Core Self-Evaluation 79 SKILL ANALYSIS 84 Cases Involving Self-Awareness 84 Communist Prison

Smoking Cessation Is The Most Important Component Of A...

According to the CDC guidelines, promoting smoking cessation is the most important component of a comprehensive state tobacco control agenda to reduce tobacco use. Smokers who quit at any age can prevent most of the risk of smoking related diseases including death, and has an immediate and long-term health benefit. Evidence-based research shows that statewide tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustained, and accountable have reduce smoking rates, as well as tobacco-related diseases and deaths. This comprehensive approach includes education, clinical, regulatory, economic, and social strategies. States that have made larger investments in comprehensive tobacco control programs have seen larger declines in cigarettes sales than†¦show more content†¦In 2007, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report presented a blueprint for action to â€Å"reduce smoking so substantially that it is no longer a public health problem for our nation.† The two-pronged strategy fo r achieving this goal includes: 1) strengthening and fully implementing currently proven tobacco control measures; and 2) changing the regulatory landscape to permit policy innovations. Among the IOM recommendations is that each state should fund a comprehensive tobacco control program at the level that the CDC recommends. Today, the CDC is the only federal agency that provides funding to help support all 50 states, the District of Columbia, eight U.S. territories, and twelve tribal organizations for tobacco control efforts, and is at the forefront of the nation’s efforts to reduce deaths and prevent chronic diseases that result from tobacco use. The agency and its partners promote tobacco control interventions, including actions to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, smoke-free environments, programs to help tobacco users quit, and steps to eliminate tobacco-related health disparities in different population groups. In 2016 alone, the CDC have supported and funded the smoking cessation programs in these areas with close to $75 million and to ensure and expand state quitline capacity (CDC, 2016). Conceptual Framework For our smoking cessationShow MoreRelatedTobacco Cessation1976 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and worldwide (Centers for Disease Control, 2013, World Health Organization, 2008). Tobacco cessation counseling is a vital component of any public health strategy seeking to decrease mortality, disease and costs associated with smoking. To that end, the Healthy People 2020 Tobacco Use Objectives cover three main areas: reducing tobacco use, instituting health system changes, and creating social and environmentalRead MoreRaising The Legal Minimum Age For Smoking Among Young Adults Essay1814 Words   |  8 Pagesincrease in young adult smoking, compares trends in smoking among young adults with trends in the use of other substances. National data propose that the recent detected an increase in smoking among young adults is primarily an artefact of the almost simultaneous increase in smoking among high school students. In addition, however, it also appears that there have been real changes in smoking patterns among young adults. While many questions remain regarding recent trends in tobacco and other drug useRead MoreBanning Tobacco Price Promotions, Smoking Related Beliefs And Behavior3355 Words   |  14 PagesBanning tobacco price promotions, smoking-related beliefs and behavior: Findings from the International Tobacco Control four-country cohort survey Abstract Purpose: We examined how prohibiting tobacco price promotion at the national level influenced smoking-related beliefs and behaviors. Method: We used data from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation project four-country cohort. Smokers and recent quitters at wave 8 (N = 4,114) were included in multivariate logistic regression modelsRead MoreThe Effects of Culture and Ethnicity on Tobacco Prevention and Cessation5317 Words   |  21 Pagesï » ¿ Introduction Tobacco usage remains the main preventable reason for loss of life and illness within the US, with almost 443,000 fatalities taking place yearly due to smoking cigarettes and contact with second-hand cigarette smoke (CDC, 2008). Furthermore, almost ninety percent of adult people who smoke start using cigarettes from age eighteen years (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). To evaluate present cigarette usage amongst youths, CDC examined information via the 2011 NationalRead MoreSmoking Term Paper3599 Words   |  15 PagesSmoking: The Risks of Smoking by Jack Jeffries CCC English Ms. Clarke 6 April 2011 Jeffries 1 Jack Jeffries Ms. Clarke CCC English 6 April 2011 Smoking: The Risks of Smoking According to the World Health Organization, someone dies from the use of tobacco every eight seconds. Tobacco is used in many different products. A few of these products are bidis, chew, cigars, dip, hookah, and cigarettes. In the United States of America, where 12 million dollars a year is spent on tobacco awarenessRead MoreThe Effects Of E Cigarettes On The United States5297 Words   |  22 Pagesthe nicotine without the other 4,000 chemicals present in tobacco cigarette smoke (Schroeder). Nicotine is a chemical that is produced by the tobacco plant. 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She states she has been having abdominal complications for the last five years consistently. She states her symptoms include fatigue, significant weight loss (25 lbs. in the last year), low grade fever, and episodes of severe pain in the right lower quadrant (7/10). She reports in the past her symptoms haveRead MoreImproving Access For Preventative Health Services3208 Words   |  13 PagesExecutive Summary Conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes account for 75% of health care spending in the United States and (cdc.gov). However, many of these chronic conditions are preventable with proper preventative screenings and care. The passage of the Affordable Care and the expansion of Medicaid increased the number of preventative care services available to Medicaid beneficiaries, however there are still many barriers preventing people from getting proper care. This policy

Public Health

Question: Discuss about the Public Health. Answer: The increasing level of alcohol-associated costs and harm to the society as a whole in the United Kingdom has resulted in a debate on the best strategies that when implemented can be beneficial for managing the escalating issues. An interim analysis has indicated that there is a distinct connection between availability of alcohol, alcohol consumption and negative consequences in the country. The health burden as well as the social burden of alcohol consumption has drawn concentration of concerned policy makers who are continually striving to achieve better outcomes so that the society can benefit at large (1). Experts in the field of public health are repreadtedly showing concerns regarding alcohol policies in the country. A considerable requirement has cropped up for drafting global strategies applied to the country perspective after too much attention has been paid on the rising issue (2). In the present paper a discussion is put up regarding the scenario of alcohol consumption in the united kingdom, the summary of alcohol control in the country, the main challenges faced in implementation of policies, and the implementation of two global alcohol control initiatives that could lead to more effective protection from the health risks of alohol in the country. Research has indicated that alcohol consumption has increased largely in the recent years owing to a number of factors. The price of alcohol has become half since 1960s. In addition, successive governments have been very much reluctant to apply taxation policies that can act as a way to control alcohol consumption in the country since it has been perceived as an unpopular strategy on the political ground. With the development of mass communication media, the society has witnessed a steep increase in the advertisements of alcohol and promotion of alcohol at different levels (3). The statistics of alcohol consumption in the united kingdom has drawn attention of the policy makers in the light of increasing health concerns as well as increasing crime rate as a result of unhealthy consumption of alcohol. In the united kingdom, a totl of 8,697 deaths were reported that were due to alcohol consumption. Around 9 million people in England drink alcohol at a livel more than the permitted one. Alcohol has been reported to be 10% of the UK burden of death and diseases thereby indicating that alcohol in one of the three most significant lifestyle risk factors for death in the country, next to obesity and smoking. It has been estimated that around 7.5 million people in the country are not aware of the damage that is being done to the heir health due to drinking. Alohol leads to around 60 medical complications in individuals including stomach, liver, mouth, throat and breast cancers; liver cirrhosis; high blood pressure, and depression. In the year 2013, around 100800 hos pital admissions were reported due to alcohol consumption as a result of alcohol related diseases or injuries. Alcohol-related crime in the country has been estimated to be contributing to a cost of approximately 13bn on an annual basis. In Wales and England, about 63% of all deaths due to alcohol in the year 2012 was due to alcoholic liver disease. Costs of harms related alcohol has been reported to be 3.5bn to the NHS per year. It must be noted in this context that alcohol has become 61% more reasonably priced as in the year 2013 when compared to the year 1980 (4). The UK government have implemented a number of strategies in the recent past that aims to address the issue of alcohol consumption in the country. The strategies have the vision of bringing radical changes in the attitudes and approaches of the common population and want to turn the tide in opposition to irresponsible drinking. The strategies focus on a number of aspects like reduction of availability of alcohol at cheap prices, advertising for alcohol, changing behaviours on the local basis, challenging the enforcement and adequate response to emerging issues (5). The polices implemented in UK have recognised that local businesses, services and communities are the best places for tackling alcohol-related issues and enforcing the desirable behaviour and developing a suitable culture. Reduction of the availability of alcohol at cheap prices have been the main concern for government policies to curb alcohol consumption. The government has taken an initiative by raising alcohol duty by 2% above the retail inflation (RPI) each year to 2014-2015. A minimum juice rule has been implemented for cider in order to enable high strength white cider to be disqualified for lower rates of duty applicable for cider. A minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol has been introduced in Wales and England (6). Alcohol advertising has also gained attention of the policy makers who seek to prevent advertising targeted at young people. A number of controls have been put up over online, print and broadcast advertising. These have been initiated by the Portman Group and the A dvertising Standards Authority (ASA). The Portman Code is responsible for covering marketing domain such as product packaging, promotion and sponsorship. The controls exercised may be having the ability to adequately address the issues related to advertising alcohol. The ASA has ensured a vigorous and full application of powers to put social media and online media under distinct schemes for verifying the applicability of the alcohol advertisement (7). Over the last three years, the government has taken significant steps for enabling local agencies to take the appropriate decisions. A new approach has been set out to policing, crime and health care. From April 2013, unitary and upper tier local authorities are receiving public health fund for alcohol services. The support of Public Health Australia is significant in this regard. From November 2012 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are ensuring that priorities of the public are driving local police force activities. PCCs are remitting to cut crime rates along with anti-social behaviours due to undesirable levels of alcohol consumption. They are working with the local leaders, such as Clinical Commissioning Groups and Health and Wellbeing Boards for developing a collaborative initiative against alcohol-related issues in order to achieve an effective safety and criminal justice in the country. It is the local communities who are known to set the standards in the surrounding enviro nment (8). The polices undertaken in the UK in the recent years for reducing the impact of alcohol consumption have been based on a sound framework that is supported by four fundamental objectives. These are education and information; proper identification of treatment and issues; reduction of alcohol related crime and alcohol industry to be made as a voluntary partner. The government has been spending a considerable amount of fund for providing education to the public on the harmful impact of alcohol consumption in order to prevent higher degree consumption. This is more prominent for the young generation for chaging their drinking patterns, promoting safe drinking and providing information for seeking required help at the time of need. A number of campaigns have been conducted to giving a better education for changing attitudes and beliefs (9). There are some issues that are being faced in the present era that are hindering the success of the already existing alcohol reduction strategies. A combination of poor habits, ignorance and irresponsibility have been the underlying causes of such unfavourable situations. The issues arsing are multi-faceted. Alcohol is available at a cheap price in the country, and the needs of the industry along with the commercial advantages have been gaining more priority over concerns of the community. The impact has been a change in the behaviour of the of the individuals drinking at a socially unacceptable level. Previous governments have shown a failure to handle the issue to a considerbale extent. Enough challenges have not come up for the individuals who drink and consequently cause harm and injury to others. Such challenges are also not adequate for businesses that even encourage such form of intolerable behaviour (10). The measures adopted by the implemented policies have been extensively criticised due to the multiple challenges faced by the public health community. Though there is an acknowledgement of the close relationship between rising consumption and affordability, there are no strict policies that limit the consumption for limiting alcohol-related injuries and harm. Adjustment of taxes is a key challenge in this regard. Another serious challenge is that there are no set of targets against which one can review the effectiveness of the policies in the future. Work is effective when it is done in a target driven basis, and this lay the chances the alcohol policies would fail to bring the desirable changes. Another major challenge is related to focus on binge drinkers and the relation with antisocial behaviour. The polices have given a major emphasis on measures for criminal justice for targeting the group of binge drinkers. Binge drinking has been a part of the British culture since many centu ries. The set policies have been no attempts to understand the social and cultural perspective of binge drinking. The polices, therefore, run the risk of stigmatisation of those who misuse alcohol. This plays a role in shifting the policy debate from the significant matters like industry accountability and availability towards a focus on the responsibility of individuals to consider drinking at an acceptable level (11). A further challenge is an allocation of adequate resources and funding by the government. Sufficient funds are not being allocated for implementation and reviewing of new policies and attention is not been given on a strict basis to ensure that the policies are abided by. It is therefore not possible to get complete evidence of the extent to which the policies have been successful and brought about the desired outcomes. The lack and delay in investments have constantly been criticised. There lie some outstanding questions that are to be clarified in due course. On the challenge regarding the voluntary partnership, it can be stated that a number of voluntary agreements have resulted in minimal adherence to the policies. Another issue is the method by which the policies have embraced the changes and have disregarded the available evidence in this context (12). Against the backdrop of the present status of alcohol control in UK and the corresponding challenges faced, it would be a proper approach to discuss how implementation of different global alcohol control initiatives might lead to more robust protection of the public from health risks of alcohol in UK. The first key alcohol control initiative that can be applied in the UK context is community action. The negative impact of alcohol use that is found to be occurring in the communities have the potential to trigger as well as foster local solutions and initiatives to local issues. Communities are to be supported and widely empowered by the important stakeholders, including the government so that the local expertise and knowledge are used maximally for adopting effective measures in order to prevent the harmful consumption of alcohol. This change can be brought by considering collective instead of individual behaviour. It is however crucial to remain sensitive to cultural beliefs, values and beliefs. This cn be achieved through a number of interventions and policy options. Rapid assessment are to be supported for identifying gaps along with priority areas that need immediate attention. Facilitating recognition of harm due to alcohol and promoting cost-effective responses to the determinants of the local community of harmful use of alcohol related issues would be beneficial. The capacity of the local authorities are to be strengthened for encouraging and coordinating strenuous community actions through promotion and support of development of municipal policies in order to reduce use of alcohol. The capacity of the local authorities for enhancing partnerships are also to be promoted. Providing information regarding effective means of monitoring success of strategies would also aid in this regard. Communities are to be mobilised for preventing the sale of alcohol and consumption by underage drinkers. Supporting alcohol-free envrionemnt by the community would mainly tar get the at-risk group. Providing community support and care to the individuals who are effected by alcohol would be another major initiative in the present context. The second global alcohol control initiative that can be applied to the context of UK is drink-driving policies together with counter measures. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a key issue has it affects the individuals coordination, judgment and other forms of motor function. Driving under the impact of alcohol is a major heath issue affecting the drinker as well as other parties. This implies that evidence-based initiatives are needed for reducing the prevalence of drink-driving. These can include deterrent measures aimed at reducing chances that a person would drinkg and drive. A safer environment would be build up along with the creation of a reduced consumption of alcohol. An upper limit for alcohol concentration in blood would need to be enforced and the limit for professional drivers need to be reduced. Promotion of sobriety check points along wth random breath-testing would be beneficial. Suspending driving license when found guilty would be a strong administrative m easure. Graduated license for those who are new drivers with zero-tolerance for driving under alcohol impact would complement the above mentioned strategy. Ignition interlock can be helpful in reducing the incident of drink-driving in certain contexts. Driver-education is mandatory and counselling the drivers would increase their levels of knowledge and awareness. The government needs to allocate funds for setting up counselling programs. Funding must be in alignment with the resources available in order to promote best allocation of resources. Conducting public information campaigns that support the policies of drink-driving would increase the common anticipation effect. Running high-intensity, properly planned, well-implemented mass media campaigns which are targeted at particular aspects, like as holiday seasons, would be significant. Stipulation for alternative transportation after drinking places have closed down would lead to a reduction in cases of drink-driving. This is a ve ry suitable approach that would be helpful in reducing a number of accidents due to drink driving (13). From the above discussion it can be stated that despite the opportunities to address the issues fully due to alcohol consumption in UK, the government has been found to produce a set of robust policies after many years of forethought and deliberation. However, these policies are lacking in terms of effective measures and have contributed less to alcohol prevention. A widespread acceptance is present for the harm caused due to alcohol, and the government has taken up many strategies for quantifying them. Alcohol is known to bring considerable financial benefits for the Treasury and alcohol industry. Reduction of consumption may be going against the interests of those who are responsible for the commerce of the country. Policies in the UK have therefore not received much support from the concerned authorities. By taking lessons from the evidence-based strategies applied worldwide for curbing alcohol consumption UK might be successful in setting up better strategies as alcohol control i nitiatives. These new policies are to be based on the already existing policies that have been advantageous in reducing the alcohol consumption in other parts of the world, making them evidence-based strategies. References Britton A, Ben-Shlomo Y, Benzeval M, Kuh D, Bell S. Life course trajectories of alcohol consumption in the United Kingdom using longitudinal data from nine cohort studies. BMC medicine. 2015 Mar 6;13(1):47. Coulson NS. Sharing, supporting and sobriety: a qualitative analysis of messages posted to alcohol-related online discussion forums in the United Kingdom. Journal of Substance Use. 2014 Mar 1;19(1-2):176-80. McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. Vested interests in addiction research and policy. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction. 2014 Feb 1;109(2):199-205. Alcohol statistics [Internet]. Alcohol Concern. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/alcohol-statistics Alcohol Research UK's response to the Government's new Alcohol Streategy [Internet]. Alcoholresearchuk.org. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://alcoholresearchuk.org/special-reports/the-governments-alcohol-strategy/ McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction (Abingdon, England). 2014;109(2):199-205. Ritter A, Livingston M, Chalmers J, Berends L, Reuter P. Comparative policy analysis for alcohol and drugs: current state of the field. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2016 May 31;31:39-50. Nicholls J. Public health and alcohol licensing in the UK: challenges, opportunities, and implications for policy and practice. Contemporary Drug Problems. 2015 Jun;42(2):87-105. Alcock P. Social policy in Britain. Palgrave Macmillan; 2014 Mar 11. Wadd S, Donnelly M, Madoc-Jones I, Elliott L, Whittaker a. Precipitating factors and negative consequences of alcohol use in older adults, united kingdom 2015. Ingerontologist 2016 Nov 1 (Vol. 56, pp. 726-726). Journals dept, 2001 Evans rd, Cary, NC 27513 USA: Oxford Univ Press Inc. McCambridge J, Hawkins B, Holden C. The challenge corporate lobbying poses to reducing society's alcohol problems: insights from UK evidence on minimum unit pricing. Addiction (Abingdon, England). 2014;109(2):199-205. Brennan A, Meng Y, Holmes J, Hill-McManus D, Meier PS. Potential benefits of minimum unit pricing for alcohol versus a ban on below cost selling in England 2014: modelling study. BMJ. 2014 Sep 30;349:g5452. Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol [Internet]. 2017 [cited 13 April 2017]. Available from: https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/msbalcstragegy.pdf

Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World an Example by

Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World The question why one can become skeptical about the external world entails two things. First is that it entails that there is an idea of an external world. Second is that it entails that there is a perceiving object or thing which grows skeptical about the external world. With the first implication, it can be said that for one to become skeptical about something, that something would have to be first an idea, or that there should be an idea of that something which the skepticism is about. This, however, does not guarantee nor propose that the idea would have to correspond to an actual object although we are tempted to argue for that in the following paragraphs. Need essay sample on "Why I am Not a Skeptic about the External World" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed On the other hand, skepticism roots from the ability of the mind to be skeptical. As Rene Descartes once said, I think, therefore, I am. A doubting mind is already proof in itself that there is a mind, and that mind is the mind which doubts whatever it is that it finds doubtful. Hence, there ought to be no question if there is a mind or otherwise precisely because the capacity to question and doubt, to begin with, tells us that there is a doubting mind. As a consequence, the question of skepticism towards the external world implies that the mind is skeptical about the world that is not within it, or the world that is outside of it. From the point of view of the skeptic, it may be argued that there is no outside world and the only thing that exists is the mind. That is, the mind is all that there is, and that everything that the mind perceives is the product of our mental functions. From our daily experiences in our homes to our visual sensations, all of these things are mere products of the mind as a skeptic may argue. I believe that there is an external world and that I am not skeptical about it. However, it does not mean that I do not believe that there are certain errors that our senses encounter. It may be the case that we tend to confuse the reality of certain objects given the often failure of our senses, such as the case of mirages where our eyes are deceived by what is presented before it. Nonetheless, it only goes to show that, at the least, our senses are functioning, although its functions may sometimes become erroneous. The failure of our senses and even our minds to experience, understand and explain things does not, however, guarantee that there is no external world after all. While there may be instances when our minds, even from a collective standpoint if individuals, have collectively failed to comprehend certain things, it does not mean that there is nothing outside of it simply because the mind failed to comprehend. The fact that there are other minds comprehending many other things in the world entails that there, too, are existent spatial and temporal objects which, the other perceiving minds just being a few of them. Perhaps indeed the skepticism towards an external world is caused by the failure of the mind to comprehend things. Perhaps because the mind is unable to discern some of the mysteries in this life we are led to believe already that there is no such thing as an external world, and that the so-called external world is only the product of the mind. Yet is it really the case that all these things are just mental products and, hence, there is no actual external world when all along we grow with life and acquire new experiences each day? That is to say that our lives begin from being a fetus, to an infant, until we reach the point of adulthood. If indeed everything is just a product of our mental faculties, then it follows that from the time since we already have the minds to think and comprehend everything else must be already within our minds. As we grow, it may only be the case that we begin to gradually realize all that the things contained in our minds, and that eventually there is no external world. But then again, it can hardly be the case that the mind contains within it all the things in the world, or all the ideas in the world, so that we begin to think or become skeptic that there is no external world. If the mind already contains all the ideas in the world, would it be of no use anymore to have experiences, and that we can only arrive some time in the future to realize what we know all along? Of course, experiences share a crucial part in the development of our understanding, our understanding of our selves and of the world notwithstanding. Without these experiences, one can hardly have a grasp of reality, like that of a child locked in a room since birth and deprived of the opportunity to interact with others unable to comprehend the things around him. We do not experience just through our own. That is, we experience what we experience through the external world, through the world outside of the mind for the mind is not an entity confined on looking on its own. Rather, the mind is also an entity which looks outside of it as we extend our sensory perceptions outwards and absorb the perceptions brought by the external objects. I am not a skeptic of the external world even though Berkeley believes that matter does not exist and that everything that may exist is merely a mind or something which depends on a perceiving mind for its existence. It is indeed scary to think that matter does not exist if we are to believe Berkeley precisely because the brain wouldnt exist and that, since brains do not exist, the mind would not exist under any given circumstance. I would not have been able to type this and the reader would not be reading this essay as well. Yet I have written this and I fully comprehend what I am doing, my mind is functioning and that I do not doubt that I have a mind, much as the reader, too, has a mind. Matter is a small part of the external world, giving concrete form to objects like our body which inevitably makes possible for the mind. Our minds are only a part of the external world although each mind has in it its own sets if understandings and ways of comprehending the external world. Reference Descartes, R. Meditations on First Philosophy.